More by Michael Klein

Irv Homer, the longtime talk-show host whose gruffness belied a soft spot for sick children, died tonight after he was stricken during an appearance at Eastern University in St. Davids.

His age is being reported at 86, but public records say he was 85.

Homer, who lived in Feasterville, fielded calls and sparred with listeners on WWDB from 1975 until its format was flipped in 2000. After that, he joined WBCB in Levittown -- hired by Merrill Reese -- and did shifts on WPHT.

Homer hosted an Internet show as recently as Wednesday, and was a contributor to Inside Story on 6ABC. He was a guest as part of a financial literacy series at Eastern, at which old friend G. Edward Griffin was speaking about The Creature from Jekyll Island, his book about the Federal Reserve.

Homer, who relished his nickname as "Evil Irv," got into the biz as a bar owner in the 1960s who liked calling in to talk shows. He was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers hall of fame and in 1972 ran for vice president as a Libertarian.

His pet project was the Sunshine Foundation, which grants the wishes of terminally and chronically ill children and their families. He was a national vice president of the organization.